>>39347928
>Ask if they've invented artificial bone replacements yet.

>>39347928
looks interesting, brb reading the archive

>>39348006

Seconding

>>39348006
Seconding

Let's fix ourself up, we deserve better.
I like the idea of armor plated bones.

>>39347928
>>Ask a question.
how easy would it be to automatically spy on the light tower network unnoticed.

>>39348006
>>39348179
>>39348188

"Have they invented bone replacements yet?"

"...Er, what?"

You stretch out one leg, showing cracked bones.
"I really would not mind armored bones." you say, "And if I'm to take this world, I did say I'd do whatever it takes. Can you imagine the horror when their enemy is a steel skeleton that casts the most eldrict of spells?" you cackle, jaw clacking.

"...Right... No."

"That aside, then. How hard would it be to intercept one of these messages, or to monitor them unnoticed?"

She ponders.
"Well, it's all light-code. And lights can only be on or off, given their system. I don't know about unnoticed, but anyone with a paper, a pen, and REALLY FAST fingers could easily intercept a message, then interpret it with a codebook." She sighs. "That's the thing, though, you need a codebook, since that changes often and without warning. Light operators are... A strange group of people..." she looks off to one side.

Hm...

>Other questions?
>Dismiss the spy.
>Something else...?

>>39348581
>Dismiss the spy.

>>39348581
>dismiss spy
sounds like the easiest way is to make a current operator loyal to us

>>39348581
>Could you find us an in to one of the operators?

>>39348581
>>39348815
>Could you find us an in to one of the operators?
Discretion is key

>>39348815
this

>>39349034
>>39348912
>>39348815
>>39348748

"Could you find an in to one of the operators?"

"...I can try."

"Discretion is key, my spy." you say. "We mustn't be discovered at this juncture. Why, the kobold pups have taken a liking to you already!"

She looks off to one side.

"...Can I go?" she asks quietly.

>(Respond)

>>39349246
>"...I can try."
>you may leave.

>>39349246
>Have the kobolds escort her back above ground, tell her to wait for your next command. The message will be in the same spot of graveyard they found her. She should probably check back once a week if she does not visit that graveyard any more often.

>>39349317
ignore the first line

>>39349246
>"You have my permission to leave"
Establish dominance, make sure she understands we command her.

>>39349246
>You may leave

>>39349437
>>39349317
>>39349481

"You have my permission to leave." you say, with a dismissive wave. "You remember our arrangement."

"...The gravestones, yes." she mumbles as she turns and leaves. Absently, you turn to look around your base. What now...

>Perhaps it's time to secure the mine. Arm the kobolds and send them out.

>Let's use some old souls from the town cemetary to make some skeletal guardians...

>Scry (The mountains) (The town) (The forest)

>>39350039
>Perhaps it's time to secure the mine. Arm the kobolds and send them out.

>>39350039
>>Perhaps it's time to secure the mine. Arm the kobolds and send them out.

>>39350039
Disgraceful.

>>39350039
>Perhaps it's time to secure the mine. Arm the kobolds and send them out.

>>39350039
if the mine is abandoned
>Perhaps it's time to secure the mine. Arm the kobolds and send them out.
else
Scry (The town)

>>39350039
>>Perhaps it's time to secure the mine. Arm the kobolds and send them out.
The girl's actions and mannerisms are somewhat worrisome.

>>39350039
>secure the mine
The souls aren't going anywhere. And we aren't being raided quite yet. Was the mine mentioned before though? I'm on my phone And can't check the other threads.

>>39350203
>>39350181
>>39350083
>>39350075
>>39350054
You grin, raising from your chair painfully. "Bring me... my main squad!" you call.

Your main squad consists of the Champion, Feasts, and four other kobolds, who quickly move forth.
"Today we shall expand out base of operations, not down, but up." you state. "The mines hold resources I cannot ignore, and strategic importance aside. They have been taken over by wild beasts, territorial and den-building." you speak as if these creatures were of great and epic stature, but in fact you don't expect anything much worse than a bear. Feasts watches with keen eyes, twin hooking swords sit on his belt, while your Champion has helped himself to the armory and now stands in half-plate and leather, with a long sword on his back. The other three are dressed as usual.

"Not only that, but there may be treasure in that old mine. The monument just outside was apparently created with a holy sword. I must have it, to corrupt it properly."

Granted, that was hearsay, according to Sally. But why not look into it? Besides, it's encased in stone, one of the best insulators against magical energies (hence why mages built towers out of it.), so it's safe to bring home anyway.

This is an adventuring segment. During these events, you will send your men into dangerous territory, from suicidal (90) to almost safe (5). This adventure is rated 15.

You will roll 1d100 for each character. Higher is better. The closer they get to rolling /on/ the adventure rating, though, the better the rewards. Rolling a 6, for example, is better than rolling 95 on an almost-safe adventure, but 95 is still better than 4.

Some of your adventurers will have Aspects that help with dungeoneering, allowing you to adjust their score either up (for safety) or down (For treasure) after the roll. Your Hero has this, and his score can be pushed up or down 3 points.

Do you understand this system, or should I explain further?

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>39350557
we're good rolling!

>>39350557
oh boy here we go

>>39350557
System makes sense OP

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>39350557
Does the +- only apply to the unit that has it, or can it be given out?

>>39350557
should be alright.

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>39350557

>>39350557
makes sense and i like it.

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>39350557
>>39350788
>Does the +- only apply to the unit that has it, or can it be given out?
I second the question

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>39350557
Honestly, the system is rather overly complex.
It's exactly the same statistics as a roll high system, just with a little extra finger wiggling.

It works, but for simplicity, and less pushback from anons, I'd just use a standard roll high system.

>>39350788
>>39350585
>>39350794
I forgot how eager you all were to roll! Sadly, I did not call for one. That's okay.

Now then: Five characters, five d100 rolls. THE ROLLS GO IN THIS ORDER:
Champion
Hero
Kobold 1
Kobold 2
Kobold 3

>>39350788
Must be used by Hero. Sometimes there are exceptions, based on the aspect.

Rolled 27, 97, 40, 82, 65 = 311 (5d100)

>>39350878

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>39350878
k

Rolled 19, 93, 67, 93, 63 = 335 (5d100)

>>39350878

Rolled 99, 65, 9, 72, 25 = 270 (5d100)

>>39350878

Rolled 84, 46, 75, 17, 10 = 232 (5d100)

>>39350878

Rolled 92, 52, 21, 69, 82 = 316 (5d100)

>>39350878

Counting and updating!

>>39351029
Quick question, is this best of or first roll only?

>>39351146
((First roll. Sorry. This is why I made the first venture so safe!))


>>39350908
The Champion starts the group off on a good foot by managing to navigate around a big drop and help his allies do the same. He happens to discover a recently dead body within the pit, and with some help, retrieves it and its soul.

>>39350912
Feasts manages to defeat a cave bear that had made a den in a large off-tunnel, roaring with victory as he decapitates it with both swords. He takes the skin for himself, but the body, skinned but not gutted, returns with them.

>>39350925
Very nearly does Kobold Ally One (as you call it, Champion insists on Tallest Tales) die when he accidentally opens a wall stash of surprisingly heavy and pure crystals.

>>39350940
>>39350944
Nothing much more to comment on, aside from some surprisingly competent capability from Two (Bites-Tail).

The treasure, as it stands:

>A dead body with a lingering soul.
>A skinned Bear + fading soul.
>Ten large crystals, useful for storing Aspects (For either enchantment or Necromancy)
>The Holy Blade (According to rumor) in stone.
>The Mine, which you may work with as you like.


>>What will you do with this bounty?

>>39351481
Get kobolds to work mine.
Animate bear and body use a crystal on each, and add two to our champion
have our living bolds try to pull the blade.

>>39351481
Stash the supplies and research the holy sword.

Also, get the mine going somehow.

>>39351481
covertly work the mine.
Animate the Bear with its soul and store any aspects. Store the fresh soul
use the humanoid bones to fix ourself.

>>39351481
Oh, so it's one roll a piece.
Got it.
This can work.

>>39351481
correct me if i am wrong but using a crystal for necromancy is normally a temporary storage vessel that can be emptied and reused but can be incorporated as supplemental power.
and most enchanting actions incorporate the crystals but some could pore the magic into the raw materials during crafting leaving the reusable crystal behind?

>>39351481
Could we use the strong soul with the bear?

Store gems
See about retrieving sword. Could be useful for study if it IS holy.
Set some bolds on mining. And tell them not to die, or, at least to keep their bodies intact.

>>39351481
We collect all Master?
Can Master corrupt Holy Blade for champion's use?

>>39351481
Hey, try to animate the bear, it would be an awesome mount for the Champion to ride on.

>>39351746

Okay, okay, you remember this, because, uh, it's really important. You scratch your skull.

Literally everything has Aspects. A stone brick, for example, has Stone, Construction, and so on. A human has aspects regarding their capabilities and destiny. Crystals have the aspect of Void, hence their clearness, and can hold other aspects. The size of the crystal determines how many. So, for example - you pull the aspects of Mining, Persistence, Adventurous, and Cursed from the dead body, the aspects of Persistence and Bear from the bear, and store them all in the crystal, which holds all of them. Now the bodies are empty, and the crystals hold those aspects.

The bear is an excellent body. It can hold four Aspects, but for now, you simply give it Persistence, to reanimate it. It rises, skinned as it is, and rumbles a challenge as the fluids of its body steam off.

Good. You mentally assign it to protect your Champion.

You set the kobolds to work working the mine. While your armory can create armor from dark energies, sometimes you need something made custom.

...Which brings you to the Holy Sword, which you take into your lab. It's literally encased in stone, as if someone had poured nonmolten but liquid stone over it and solidified it. It could even be wielded, if you liked.

Your fingers dance over the stone. The sword inside throbs, and yes - it's indeed blessed. Sharp, Steel, Blessing, Heroic, Persistence... Ah. It's a sentient blade.

The kobolds take the miner's body to the butchery, where they will de-flesh it for your use. It's the first human male body they've found so intact!

>Break the sword free, but rip out Blessed from it.
>Leave it in your Vault. No one will touch it!
>Cast it into a chasm, just to be sure.
>Something else...

>>39352612
>Something else...
Could we converse with the sword and try to corrupt it? Turning blessed into cursed?

>>39352674
>>39352612
Not a bad idea. Does touching the blade when it's blessed harm us? I'm going to guess yes, but you never know

>>39352674
This is an interesting idea.

>>39352612
>Break the sword free, but rip out Blessed from it.

>>39352674
>>39352612

If this sword was sitting outside our dungeon, maybe it knows something about how or why we were asleep for so long.

Corrupting it would be cool in any case.

>>39352674
this

>>39352612
>>39352674
Talk with it

Its been so long since we meet something like

Ask it what happened to the world to forget about magic

>>39352674
>>39352612
You were blessed and left to rot in this stone forever unable to be wielded. Why not come to my side blade You will always be useful to me and mine.

>>39352612

>Break the sword free, but rip out Blessed from it.
but also this!
>>39352674
Our Champion will need a better sword.

>>39352674
second >>39352612 though i prefer unholy or desecrated to cursed.

>>39352612
>Break the sword free, but rip out Blessed from it.
It is a good sword Master! If Gandalf can sword and staff, you can as well!

It would be difficult to pull aspects from stone.

Still, the possibility of taking a holy champion's weapon for your own, the possibilities... ah...
You grasp a nearby hammer and slam it into the center of the stone, leaving small cracks. They burn to look at, but it's still an opening.
"...what." the sword whispers, soft and warm. "where am I..."

You blink. Back in the day, people put male spirits in swords, didn't they? "Master was carrying me to battle... I do not remember..."

>You were abandoned, left in stone. I can free you...
>You were memorialized. But I bet they didn't ask you...
>SILENCE! YOU ARE MINE NOW!
>Something else...

>>39353185
>You were abandoned, left in stone. I can free you...

>>39353185
>>You were abandoned, left in stone. I can free you...

>>39353185
>You were abandoned, left in stone. I can free you...

>>39353185
>You were abandoned, cast out, set in stone just to make your owners able to take all credit from your deeds. I can free you, free you from that stone, free you from 'ownership'. Join me and you will not be an object, you'll be a comrade, a friend.

>>39353185
>You were memorialized. But I bet they didn't ask you...
or
>>39353244

>>39353185
>You were abandoned, left in stone. I can free you...

>>39353244
this

>>39353185
>You were memorialized. But I bet they didn't ask you...

>>39353185

>>39353244
This one

>>39353185
Switching from >>39353348
to >>39353244

>>39353244
>Do you know that you look suspiciously like a lich I killed years ago? The resemblance is uncanny.

>>39353244
Master! This!

>>39353429
Your "rping" is shit, why even try?

>>39353386
Sorry guys, I'm going to have to switch from >>39353244 to something else. I forgot that holy swords had x-ray vision.

"You were abandoned. Cast out, aside. They didn't need you anymore, so they made you as stone to take credit for your help. I can free you from that stone, from that ownership! Join me. You can be an ally! A comrade... a friend."

"I... I am not certain... It would be such a betrayal of the Justicars..."

"I will give you a name." you whisper, grinning.

There i a long pause. There's one other thing about Blessing, especially on sentient beings - it must be given. It cannot be taken. You ready the aspect of Curse, watching.

"...Name me." she says, quietly offering her Blessing.

>>39353813
Heartbane.

>>39353813
Ragnarok

>>39353813
>"I name thee, Morgana!"

>>39353813
Arachne

>>39353813
Morgan

>>39353813
Stormshatter

>>39353813
Retribution of the Betrayed

>>39353813
>Justicars
"I shall call you... Stuck-In-The-Vault-Forever."

This is going to go badly.

>>39353877
>>39353813
I can dig Morgana. The lich will think it's a cool fucking name when really it's just a regular name like his own.

>>39353813
Backbiter!

>>39353914
It sounds semi evil and still feminine, I think it fits pretty well.

>>39353877
>>39353914
Seconding, or Thirding

>>39353813
>Tear of the Betrayed
>Moonsong
>Lightsbane
>Fallen Paragon

>>39353813
Soul Drinker

Damn, this thread go quiet for a bit then it bursts on the posts.

>>39353914
I can dig it.

>>39353969
naming shit is srs business

>>39354011
Names are Power.

>>39353885
Morgana Heartsbane.

>>39354011
Indeed!

"I name you... CURSED BLADE, MORGANA!" you roar, slamming the curse home after removing the blessing. The sword lifts into the air, a graceful longsword, then the stone coat shatters as the spirit within begins to scream, starting high as you've been used to... then becoming lower, huskier, falling into your bony hand. The pommel ends in a skull, the handle a smoothed spine. The crossguard is a oversized, stretched skull, maw opened to spit out the blade, which is black, long, straight. It is not a heavy blade, it is not thorned. Runes do not dance across its surface - but it is so dark as to seem to swallow light. And from nowhere...

A pale-leather thing appears, long and ready for the sword - a sheath of human flesh.

"I am prepared, my master." murmurs the warm, husky voice. A flash of image in your mind, a ravenhaired temptress dressed in evening gown of black and red.

A perfect sword for you, or your champion.

You take a deep breath, then let loose a mighty cackle, unable to hold it back any longer.

Finally, you calm yourself, aching bones creaking at the effort.

Now what...?

>>39354164
I think we should start experimenting with bone replacement, see if we can make spiked metal leg replacements.

>>39354164
>Ask Morgana about what she remembers before she was discarded and forgotten
We'll keep this sword for ourselves and get our champion and even better sword, not sentient.

>>39354164

>>39354206
This

>>39354164
>>39354206
This, plus we can bounce ideas off the sword while doing SCIENCE!

>>39354164
We haven't been brutally murdered again. I'm a bit surprised.

>>39354205
This. If we're going to use a sword, we need to ensure we don't fall apart when we use it. It would be embarrassing.

>>39354164
Do we need special aspects inscribed into our body parts to associate them with us?

If we decided to use some of the ores from the mine above in a cast of specific bones, could we just replace the pieces or would we have to enchant them with some rare aspect?

>>39354298
Maybe we could just straight pour molten metal on the bone, so it fills in the cracks and surrounds it in a shell.

>>39354324
>>39354298
>>39354278
>>39354259
I feel like if we remove a bone and replace it with fully metal or whatever, it might make us weaker because we're not a full lich, or soulless body that we had originally. I'm all for enhancing with metal, but fully replacing is triggering me

>>39354164
Give the sword to our Champion and animate that dead bear.

>>39354346
We've already replaced parts of ourself with wires and wood. I don't see how upgrading to metal would hurt.

>>39354346
Brace them, then. Metal bits on the outside or some such. Right now, we're less a skeleton and more a collection of well arranged bone shards, if I've been reading it right.

>>39354381
Bear is already animated, you dingus

>>39354164
If replace bone with metal hurts Master, Can master wear armor to protect bones? Me remember hearing a tale about some who called himself a Lich King did that.

>>39354346
well, at the very least, we need to repair our body. This whole cracked bones shtick can't go on forever

>>39354454
I assume as we grow in power and gain more spells, it'll come up to repair our body and maybe integrate more stuff.

>>39354417
Ah, I over looked that. Sorry. In that case then, lets go gather up some more souls from the grave yard.

>>39354394
that is my reading as well.
I am against replacing them with something inorganic but i have a cool idea what if we alchemicaly turn our bones to metal so they are both bone and metal.

but in the meantime repairs replacements and possibly metal bracings is my vote.

You sit to consider.

To put it simply, lichdom is placing your self, as a single aspect, into an object. Then you connect that object back to your body, creating a feedback loop. Since your body is informed of its shape by your soul, and your soul is undamaged, then it becomes hard to damage your body.

Young liches, who still have their bodies, have comically speedy regeneration, but older ones like yourself have a very... tired soul. You consider carefully how to repair your body, but something comes to mind.

If you can use magical metal, malleable upon spell activation with a keyword then solidified with another, then you could reinforce your bones properly. But magical steel is difficult to create.

It's a dwarven secret.

Dwarves are the absolute masters of enchantment, especially metals. Legends tell of hammers that can knock aspects from materials and turn them into gems instantly.

Replacing the bones is simply out of the question, however - these are /your/ bones, as weary as they are. Replacing them will simply place a numb zone there. Stronger, but unmovable.

Hmmm.

Suddenly, you look up from your lab to see Sally there, panting.

"We have a problem." she says, panic in her eyes.

>>39354505

>>39354505
So, soul influences body. Does body also influence soul? Will healing our body possibly restore some memories or otherwise heal the soul?

>>39354505
Calm your fleshy self and speak.

>>39354631
intriguing concept, anon

>>39354631
Lets find out once we get back to the Lab.
>>39354505
"How so then?"

>>39354656
"Calm yourself, fleshy, wiggly mortal. What is the matter?"

"The Guild has set up a charter in our town." she says, palming her face. "This is very bad, they'll want to chart the area."

"Surely we can seal up and hide, yes?"

"Well, sure, but they have clerics, and..." she taps the center of her chest. "I think they'll notice missing aspects." she grumbles, "Or an umbilical cord to you!" she sighs. "I can't have them find you, because then you'll kill me. Or vice-versa, they find you first, and I'm killed as a malcontent!" she groans. "And this just plain tanks the cult plan, doesn't it..."

"Not... necessarily." you mumble, thoughtful.

"What. What the hell are you planning?"

>"We'll make the Guild our cult!"
>"We cut off the town from the rest of the world, wall up, and prepare for the beginning of the end."
>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."
>Something else...

>>39354888
>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."

>>39354888
>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."

>>39354888
>>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."

>>39354888
>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."
Temp them with my gold, or power. Mortals are so easy to sway with base desires.

>>39354888
>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."

In the meantime, expand toward Dorfs. Moar magitech.

>>39354888
>"We hide. You, me, until the charting is over. We capture the Cleric and make him ours."

Reasonable to assume they'll want to check out the old mine. Capturing them underground shouldn't be too hard. Not sure what they'll do when they realize the sword monument has disappeared, though.

>>39354888
>"We'll make the Guild our cult!"

>>39354888
>Something else...
We ambush humans in our lair? Convert them with your power!

>>39355012
>>39354986
>>39354963
>>39354953
>>39354921
>>39354908

"We will seal the lair, hiding behind the wards within. You as well. It should only be a few weeks, at most." you say, turning to your work.

"Are you insane!?" she asks, and you look over your shoulder.

"Mortal, I tore out my mortal essence, shoved it into a tiny gemstone, then connected that gemstone to my living self as I felt the cold embrace of death wrap about my unbeating heart. My final words while living were a curse against mortality itself, and, in fact, my final memory. I remember my living life more clearly than my unlife, ages more than a thousand years old. I remember a woman I loved who is, literally speaking, naught but dust. I cannot remember, but I must know the feeling of watching my friends, family, and world sift away like sand in an hourglass.

"If I am not at least somewhat insane after all of that, then I rather think the definition of the word is too brief. That aside, we have little to fear from this. You go missing for a week or two, they will think you merely eloped. Put in some tears when you return and no one will care." you wave your hand, cackling.

"But... my friends... I mean..."

You sigh.
"If I must use rope, I shall. But it's far better for you to understand how utterly insignificant you are. Now go! Preparations must be made on both our ends!"

She flees.

>Alert the kobolds, first.
>Activate the traps! Wait, no, they're always active. Make more traps!
>Begin work on the wards.
>Something else.

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.
Gotta conserve our minions

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.
Get their scaly asses in gear
then
>Begin work on the wards.

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.
We be ready Master!

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.
Traps and wards will just alert them sooner

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.
>Something else
Learn another spell.

>>39355404
>>Alert the kobolds, first.
>>Begin work on the wards.
>>Something else.
learn new spell

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.

>Begin work on the wards.

Yay I caught one of these while it was running!

>>39355404
>Alert the kobolds, first.
>Begin work on the wards.

>>39355612
>See this while working on last post
I'm sorry, anon. I'm sorry it had to be this way.


>>39355612
>>39355578
>>39355484
>>39355476
>>39355452
>>39355441

You quickly get the kobolds indoors, consulting with your Champion. He states that he will double down on training while the doors are shut, and expansion can continue as planned. He thanks you for the pet bear, even if it doesn't have skin.

Feasts rallies the kobolds into a final spurt of mining, bringing in some pretty good ore as you work on the wards, being very careful not to set up something that will incinerate, desoul, or destroy Sally. That being said, the Crystals are used to excellent effect in a ward that will remove the soul of those who enter without permission.

You spend a few hours giving everyone permission to enter the Dungeon, even your sword, who murmurs her approval in a way that really shouldn't give you shivers, but does anyway.

You sit back up on your throne. As Sally returns, bags in arms, you slam shut the doors bnehind her, leaving you all in deep darkness. You don't really care, you haven't needed light to see for at least five hundred years, and the kobolds are used to the dark, but Sally gives out a satisfying yelp.

It's gonna be a fun coupla weeks.

Thanks for coming, everyone. I'm not sure if I can run tomorrow, but I'll give it an honest shot. Thanks a lot for your support and help!

>>39355796
thanks for running!

>>39355796
Good show, mate, really enjoying this!

>>39355783
>He thanks you for the pet bear, even if it doesn't have skin.

Well, if we need it to infiltrate bear society or whatever we can always just staple it back on. Nobody will notice.

>>39355796
>>39355612

Its all good man! Looks like this will be a fun quest. Thanks for running Boss.

Don't forget to archive, OP!

>>39355796
Just give us a good head up on your twitter when you are going to run again. Also, take it easy and get that head cold out of your system.

>>39355796
We will stay busy for you Master!

>>39355796
gg dont burn yourself out